The present invention relates generally to closure mechanisms for containers and more particularly to a closure mechanism whereby a cap is slidably coupled to an adapter affixed to or integrally formed with the top of the container whereby the cap may be retained on the container and the cap clamped against the adapter in response to sliding movement of the cap relative to the adapter against opposing ramped surfaces.
Various closure devices for containers have been devised. For example, French Patent No. 917,849 describes a cap mechanism and a separate pivotal removal mechanism with a pin positioned in a slot to attach the cap to the container. The cap moves laterally until the pin is in a narrow part of the slot at which point a flange is engaged under a lip of the cap. As the device is pivoted, the cap is forced loose after which it remains attached. The cap is then moveable along the groove to a position adjacent to the side of the bottle. However, this device does not provide a clamping mechanism whereby coaction between opposing ramped surfaces and the connecting mechanism effects clamping between a cap and an adapter whereby the slot and pin, in cooperation with ramped surfaces, enable clamping as well as pivotal movement.
Another pin and slot mechanism, but without a clamping mechanism provided by opposing ramped surfaces, is illustrated in Mayer U.S. Pat. No. 2,792,144.
Other closure devices have incorporated opposing ramped surfaces such as the container closure structure in Allbright, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,881,942. However, the Allbright closure mechanism does not incorporate a pin and slot mechanism whereby the top is retained on the container and facilitates the clamping action between the opposing ramped surfaces.
The present invention therefore provides a novel closure apparatus which incorporates a pin and slot interconnection means between a cap and an adapter and which also incorporates at least one ramped surface which cooperates with the pin and slot to pull the cap into a tight fit over the top of the container as the cap moves from an opened position to a closed position.
The present invention may also be incorporated in virtually any type container where a lid or other closure mechanism is employed including bowls, dishes, trays, wastebaskets, trash cans, pitchers, boxes and even doors. For example, the invention may be incorporated in toy boxes whereby the lid of the toy box slides to one side (or to the front or back) and then pivots into a stored position against the side (or front or back) of the box thereby enhancing safety by preventing the lid of the box from dropping down onto a child's hands, fingers or head. In certain configurations where the container has limited depth, the lid may be further pivoted into a stored position underneath the box.